It is roughly midday as the group return to the village square from Mad Mary's house, though the skies are overcast and there is a thin fog.  Other than the occasional movement of people going about their business the streets are relatively quiet.  It does not take long for Dormark and Ismark to return from the Church.

Ismark waves at the group as he walks towards the village square, "Greetings all.  How was your meeting with Mary?  I take the fact that I can't hear her as a positive sign."

Baern had been quietly contemplating a number of concerns including where they might be, how they got here, Strahd, his mother, etc. until the group was on the move again.  Meeting back up with Ismark and Dormark he replied "I don't know about the crying lady, but that Bildrath was no help at all!"

"To be honest, I feared as much Baern."  Ismark's face is downcast, "For every person eager to pull together and help each other out there seems to be someone that is out for themselves alone."  He casts his eye around his beloved village, "Maybe in past times Barovia might have been more welcoming to newcomers... but, well, fear changes people.  Bildrath is the opportunist, he'll squeeze every copper out of a deal.  I take it - if things got heated - you met his nephew?"

Sandu climbed back down as best as he could. 'It's a sturdy tree.' He mentioned, wiping his hands clean on his pants. 'Someone could definitely get in and out unseen during night-time. I used to do so all the time back at-' He stopped himself for a pause before continuing: 'All I'm saying is that the girl could have gotten out without anyone noticing it right away.' 

He followed the others back to the village square. Sandu felt sullen. They were not any closer to figuring out how to get back home and the whole detour with the grieving mother had yielded little, if any, result. About the only positive he could say, was that the mechanical man was no longer hauling around a corpse. A morbid thought to put in perspective.

'I can't imagine any time when this village would be cheerful.' He snorted when Ismark finished his reply. Sandu's face fell. It was like the village was sucking out any enjoyment out of life that he had left. He wanted to leave and fast. 'So what's our next move?' He asked the others, not directly addressing anyone in particular.

Baern smirks a little in response to Ismark.  "Alder sure did!"

The young dwarf also hesitantly asks "Ismark... where are we, exactly?"  "Is Barovia near Calimport*?  Will we be able to go back through the fog eventually?"

(*just picked a logical large city in Faerun for Baern to have recently traveled to)

Nodding Ismark addresses Sandu, "That is an unhappy truth - certainly all I have ever known is... bleakness.  But one must always have hope, though I am afraid it is short supply around here."

Speaking to Baern, he continues, "Barovia... is Barovia...  I am not sure what the nearest great city is.  All my life I have known these lands and no further.  Adventurers, similar to yourselves, occasionally find themselves trapped here - lured.  I met a number of people that spoke of a town - 'Daggerford' they called it.  In truth, the only folk I have heard travel between through the mists are the Vistani."

Ismark lowers his voice to a whisper;

"Why are you all so eager to get involved with this woman? From everything you've said the woman treated her daughter like a prisoner, the daughter ran away. Don't imagine she'd be too happy to be hunted down. What's the point? Doesn't help us figure out what the hell is happening here."

Baern swallows hard at Ismark's ominous words about Barovia and Strahd deciding who can come and go and is silent in response.

“Ismark has agreed to let us meet in his abode, we should meet there so I may update you of what I’ve learn about our current situation. Ismark has also agreed to let us stay and give us a map of the current area in return for helping him in a personal matter. Ismark if you would lead the way, “ says Dormark watching the sky as he says this.

"It's not about wanting to help the woman," Ioben says to Sandu. "Sometimes people are just more... amenable if they believe you have their best interests at heart. By building trust with this Mary, we start to get a better picture of the place before we put our foot in it with someone more powerful."  Ioben subtly nods his head in the direction of Ismark.

Valerie turns to Sandu. "She needs help. And if we are able to provide one, we shouldn’t turn down. Regardless of your motives, it would be appreciated."

She raises her eyebrows and turns to Ismark. "Did anyone try to leave? What happened to them?"

'Wait, why's everyone ganging up on me?' Sandu remarked in surprise. He pointed a finger at Alder. 'He's the one saying we should leave this Mary and her daughter to their own devices!'

Baern shrugs and says matter of factly "from what you all said, sounds like she just ran away to me."  "Can't blame her if Mary locks her up.  Maybe we'll run into her and find out."

Alder merely shrugs and crosses his arms, following the others to whereever they might walk.

Valerie slightly bows to Sandu. "My apologies about that. I've got confused on the voices a little bit. However, return to Gartruda. Mary said something about the children of the Durst Family. Maybe we can check it out if we didn't have any problems at hand or happened to be nearby." She turns to Baern. "By the way, how was your journey to the church?"

Quote from Kimvilla111 >>

She raises her eyebrows and turns to Ismark. "Did anyone try to leave? What happened to them?"

"Many have tried.  They invariably end up meeting a similar end to the body you found in the woods.  Either that or they re-emerge hours later at the same point they left, swearing that they had been walking away from Barovia the whole time.  Further still - rumours around the village suggest that other's have choked to death within the fog.  In truth, I am unsure.  I know that it is ill-advised."

“Like I said I would like to head for Ismark’s abode  before we speak, we have spent most of the night traveling in the wilderness, we could use the rest,” says Dormark trying to get the he party moving again.

"A rest would be good. A chance to clear the head and gain our bearings. I am sure that young Gertruda will still be missing in the morning."

Valerie follows the group behind without saying anything. She is drown in her thoughts trying to process all the new information that she has got so far.

Burgomaster's Mansion

Ismark leads the group from the village square, they pass Bildrath's Mercantile and Mad Mary's House.  At the end of the street a weary-looking mansion squats behind a rusting iron fence. The iron gates are twisted and torn. The right gate lies cast aside, while the left swings lazily in the wind. The stuttering squeal and clang of the gate repeats with mindless precision. Weeds choke the grounds and press with menace upon the house itself. Yet, against the walls, the growth has been tramped down to create a path all about the domain. Heavy claw markings have stripped the once-beautiful finish of the walls. Great black marks tell of the fires that have assailed the mansion. Not a pane nor a shard of glass stands in any window. All the windows are barred with planks, each one marked with stains of evil omen.

((The Burgomaster's Mansion))

"Home, sweet home." Ismark mutters under his breath.  As the group approaches the front door all can see footprints and... shuffle marks?  Located around the front of the property.